Mark 8:34 says, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."
Deny himself...As human beings we are taught to satisfy our needs. If we want something we should go after it! I think we have to remember there is a difference between selfishness and selflessness. Meeting our personal needs versus meeting the needs of the greater good.
Take up our cross...There are many crosses that we bear in this life and some are more difficult than others. When Jesus calls us to take up our cross, I'm sure He is speaking of our daily struggles, but I think the call is even deeper. For Jesus, the cross lead to His death. We must be willing to take up our struggles and not give up...even to the point and difficulty of death.
Follow me...God calls us to follow His call. The path that He planned for us. It is only when we completely surrender an follow Him that we are free and no longer bound by our human desires that keep us from the Him.
We must submit all we are to God and His call for us. It is in this surrender that we find who we are called to be.
"This life is not about me; it's about who He needs me to be."
